Proenkephalin expression and enkephalin release are widely observed in non-neuronal tissues

Enkephalins are opioid peptides that are found at high levels in the brain and endocrine tissues. Studies have shown that enkephalins play an important role in behavior, pain, cardiac function, cellular growth, immunity, and ischemic tolerance. Our global hypothesis is that enkephalins are released...

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Published in:Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 83 - 92
Main Authors: Denning, Gerene M., Ackermann, Laynez W., Barna, Thomas J., Armstrong, John G., Stoll, Lynn L., Weintraub, Neal L., Dickson, Eric W.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2008
Elsevier Science
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Blotting, Western
Enkephalins
Enkephalins - biosynthesis
Enkephalins - chemistry
Enkephalins - genetics
Enkephalins - metabolism
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Epithelium - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene expression
Gene Expression Profiling
Heart - physiology
Humans
Intestines - cytology
Intestines - metabolism
Kidney - cytology
Kidney - metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Microscopy, Confocal
Middle Aged
Muscle, Skeletal - cytology
Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism
Muscle, Smooth - cytology
Muscle, Smooth - metabolism
Proenkephalin
Protein Precursors - biosynthesis
Protein Precursors - chemistry
Protein Precursors - genetics
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Skeletal muscle
Striated muscle. Tendons
Swine
Vertebrates: endocrinology
Vertebrates: osteoarticular system, musculoskeletal system
Proenkephalin
Gene expression
Skeletal muscle
Enkephalins
Enkephalin
Striated muscle
Neuropeptide
Opioid peptide
Release
ISSN:0196-9781, 1873-5169
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Enkephalins are opioid peptides that are found at high levels in the brain and endocrine tissues. Studies have shown that enkephalins play an important role in behavior, pain, cardiac function, cellular growth, immunity, and ischemic tolerance. Our global hypothesis is that enkephalins are released from non-neuronal tissues in response to brief ischemia or exercise, and that this release contributes to cardioprotection. To identify tissues that could serve as potential sources of enkephalins, we used real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, ELISA, immunofluorescence microscopy, and ex vivo models of enkephalin release. We found widespread expression of preproenkephalin (pPENK) mRNA and production of the enkephalin precursor protein proenkephalin (PENK) in rat and mouse tissues, as well as in tissues and cells from humans and pigs. Immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-enkephalin antisera demonstrated immunoreactivity in rat tissues, including heart and skeletal muscle myocytes, intestinal and kidney epithelium, and intestinal smooth muscle cells. Finally, isolated tissue studies showed that heart, skeletal muscle, and intestine released enkephalins ex vivo. Together our studies indicate that multiple non-neuronal tissues produce PENK and release enkephalins. These data support the hypothesis that non-neuronal tissues could play a role in both local and systemic enkephalin-mediated effects.
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ISSN:0196-9781
1873-5169
DOI:10.1016/j.peptides.2007.11.004